Our Story

The Big Bus was born in 2022 when our founder, Tracy Davidson, ran a re-election campaign for school board in Westerville, OH. Spending time out in the Westerville community, Tracy spoke with New American families at Abbey Lane apartments. Many of these families had arrived in the United States within the last three to five years, some from refugee camps.

Many of the Abbey Lane parents expressed hope that their children could receive academic support. For immigrant students who are also trying to learn English, navigating public education and succeeding in school involves serious challenges and complexities. Things we often take for granted—knowing the language that school subjects are taught in, for example—aren't always a given for these students.

One of the mothers, in broken English, asked if there was a way that she and other mothers in their community could receive help with their English language and reading skills. That way, they could help their children succeed in school while also helping each other integrate into their new community. She repeated the idea in Somali, and all of the mothers around her nodded their heads in agreement.

The idea for The Big Bus began to take shape that day, with dreams of bringing multigenerational impact and educational equity to under-resourced areas. The first literal Big Bus—our school bus beautifully redesigned into a mobile classroom—quickly became road ready, with its first stop set to Abbey Lane. The Big Bus team, meanwhile, made a commitment to continue deeply listening to community needs, with the understanding that supporting individuals and groups in need benefits our entire community ecosystem.

We started with after-school K-5 tutoring at Abbey Lane Apartments, we expanded to include English Language Learning (ELL) programming for parents and kindergarten readiness for preschool children. With our programming more firmly established, we have grown to Newcastle Townhomes. With the introduction of The Big Bus II, we hope to continue to grow our outreach.

Our Programs

The Big Bus I

Big Bus I focuses on after-school homework help for K-5th grade students in two community neighborhoods. We are at Newcastle Townhomes every Tuesday and Abbey Lane Apartments every Wednesday, providing students with a supportive, consistent learning environment each week.

The Big Bus II

Big Bus II serves middle and high school students across Westerville City Schools through a weekly rotation. We have launched tour days for students at each school and will begin programming in all of the middle and high schools by 2025.

Our Approach

Accessible

Being able to (literally) meet students and families where they are is central to our approach. Regardless of how great a community opportunity or resource may be, it won't have an impact if it can't reach its intended target.

Multigenerational

Multigenerational impact was a key component of our original founding vision and continues to be a source of inspiration. Working cohesively with pre-K children, students, and parents gives us the opportunity to powerfully impact individuals and communities, both for now and for the future.

Listening-led

An ear with three lines to indicate listening

Our commitment to being listening-led helps us ensure that our approach genuinely addresses the challenges that we say we're working on. Our organization was created as a response to active, compassionate listening, and we're committed to maintaining that mindset as our reach grows.

The Big Bus is full inside. There are lots of volunteers working with the preschool group.

A little girl leans over a table on the inside of The Big Bus. She is writing in a math workbook.

A man sits in a circle with four preschool children, reading them a book, inside The Big Bus.

Standing in the front of the bus looking towards the back. There are fold-down tables on the left and right with books on top and stools underneath. After the tables, there is a bench on the right and a storage compartment on the left. There is a curtain in the back that looks like a bookshelf.

Two little girls put red and blue magnet letters on the metal walls of The Big Bus. They are right under the windows, leaning on a bench. There is another child on the left who is using the letters as well, but only the child's arm is visible.

A woman sits at a table with three other adults, teaching them English. They are outside, at a table under the awning of The Big Bus.